Virtual session 3 Evaluating learning and competences

In my previous post I was really waiting to see, how the discussion about assessing the learning during the 21 century will end.
Yesterday we had a virtual session (we start really to own Adobe Connect and it feels soooo nice) about Evaluating learning and competences.
One first challenge in our presentation was to use Prezi. A new, but quite interactive program, which stimulates at least our creativity. Creativity in my opinion has to be part of teaching, so I don´t regret of choosing Prezi as a tool. I have in any case some concerns about our video about SOLO taxonomy. My concerns regard the vocational point of view. I think for the next presentation we should take care about the vocational point of view (when putting a video there). 
You can check our work following this link: How to assess learning
The other groups spoke about:
What are the central features of competence based qualifications and vocational skills demonstrations?and What is the role of the student's self-evaluation in vocational education?



Competence based qualifications were new things for me: it seems also that in our break session only one had experiences with specialist in competence basic qualification.
The pro in CbQ is that it prepares people straight for labor market (even though the students are adults) and the con is actually the really short training period that students are going to get. The students have to be demonstrated during a practical exam. So candidates are evaluated with a scale from 1-3 and the candidate gives also a self -evaluation.
I found that really strange: does each student need an evaluation? And what kind of evaluation? We spoke in our presentation about this: we read quite much academic material about how to assess learning. I found the material good in theory but not so effective, when they were speaking for example about the different kind of tests you could give to a large or small class,
Assessment in learning is important both for teachers and students:  Students need to be evaluated all the time, but we should use correct tools. Teachers need to be monitored during the whole process. Portfolio is a good thing to use, and now that I am writing one it seems to have logic. 
Through this teachers and other students can read, comment, give feedbacks. So the students are actually stimulated all the time and willing to learn. The motivation is also really a big factor in self-evaluation and we all agree that self-evaluation is not always easy when we speak about teenagers who don´t know how they feel about something they made. So, sometimes it´s just a matter of methodology.  Through games you might reach them and they might evaluate what they have learnt. 
Self-evaluation anyway requires suitable method and should be qualitative: I couldn´t agree more that self-evaluation is really a big part of of the job learning. It motivates the students and lets them to find the strength and - why not - the passion to go on. 
I should also do my own self-evaluation, editing my personal study plan. Read it again and laugh aloud and write  over and over. 

During the session I found very useful to go through this: we need to evaluate ourselves and others in order to learn together, in order to be ready to the labor market in practical issues.

This is really lifelong learning.


References:
- Biggs J., Teaching for Quality Learning at the University,  Formulating and clarifying curriculum objectives, Open Univ Pr; November 2007 edition, Society for Research Into Higher Education. 
- Jarvis P., Adult Education & Lifelong Learning abstract Assessing and Evaluation Routledge Falmer 2004 
-Wankat P., Oreoviz F. Teaching Engineering, chapter 11 Testing, Homework and Grading 
https://engineering.purdue.edu/ChE/AboutUs/Publications/TeachingEng/chapter11.pdf

Assessment or not assessment: this is the question

Picture from Black Hills State University
retrieved on: http://www.bhsu.edu/FacultyStaff/AcademicServices/Assessment/tabid/6923/Default.aspx

Virtual Session 3 is approaching. Our theme this time is: HOW DO YOU ASSESS LEARNING and my team and I were wondering (before getting some clues from our tutor) would it be a good idea to speak about ASSESSMENT IN 21ST CENTURY?
In time like this learning is already different than before: we have so much information to select that it´s not always easy decide, what to use and most of all how to evaluate students.
The retorical questions: When, why and how we evaluate are the main issues nowadays and has been for the last 10 years. We have to consider so many things that effect our evaluation. In addition to that we have also to consider that there are still teachers who evaluate in the old way and with old tools: it´s not easy to change mentality of those from"old school".
When we speak about learning in 21st century we should consider tree important factors: virtual community, complex materials and new technologies. Without them we probably cannot speak about e-learning.
Inside e-learning I see a lot of collaborative learning. So when we evaluate we probably want to evaluate also the quality of individual learning of the participants, the interaction they have between different channels, and the contents of the course (actually built by the participants).
How do we evaluate the e-learning? In my opinion we can evaluate the products (things such as for instance a translation, a solution for a problem) the process (the students acutally don´t produce anything, but they are able to put in act process).
I really hope that in our VS3 people are going to ask themselves this same question (How to assess learning in 21st century) and try to find with Martian answers. I look forward to hearing from them.

VS 2: All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn´t hurt!

I find myself eating a piece of chocolate while writing reflections on VS2.

GIVE: I think me and Peter  handled pretty well the session. We were in schedule, we gave possibility to everybody to share opinions and we acted as active listener. We supported each other.

GET: My expectations for the VS2 were pretty much the same as for VS1 with one exception: this time we were going to be a chair group. So I was prepared for the worst....To be a chair group is not as easy as it looks like: you have to be careful in many small details including the tecnical problems (and last time we indeed had them).
Team Earth opened the session. Even though there wasn´t so much to learn in their video, it was absolutely funny and a relaxing way to open the session. After that I was really full of energy and relaxed.
They presented the theme using popplets: what PI (Progressive Inquiry) and PL (Project learning) mean? They were using beforehand material. It was useful for me to have a little back up and during the session the same sand box where to make the castle. It was pity that my computer crashed...in the middle of everything. Based on this experience with planet Earth I am definitely going to insert popplets wherever it is possible and try to fix my computer...I still don´t understand why this machine doesn´t let me in the popplet page.
Team Jupiter present reaaaalllly delicious theme: they choose practical example to speak about how the skills of PI and PLE can be taught - They taught us how to make chocolate. Their presentation went also really well. It was important for me to see the differences in practical ways between PI and PL. The theories are pretty similar in many ways but Jupiterians gave me better ideas.
Saturn: the last but not the least. They chose to show us a video and also a blog:  How lecturing can be enriched in virtual learning? In the blog there were videos that showed how to use google drive (for instance). I believe lecturing in virtual learning is possible in all fields - also for those who are really hard to believe that technology can be used in all kind of levels. If you are studying to become a farmer - where do you need technology? Well for example using iPad to track some animals like reindeer for example or to make some video which teaches the younger ones how to drive a tractor.
So from all presentations I have got something and from some, how can I see the big picture step by step. I am almost tempted to write down again my Personal Study Plan from the beginning.

What was really usefull for me was that all groups gave practicial examples. This is probably what I haven´t noticed in my previous virtual sessions.

I am still thinking pros and cons of PI and PL. Does it depend from the group in front of me what am I going to use? Which methods are suitable for my actual students? They both seem to be working.

AVOID: for the future sessions I would avoid watching videos. We definetly can do that beforehand and use our time in building and learning something new. If pre material has to be studied, I suggest to give at least one week’s time to the people to read it.
If we are using popplets we must be sure that everybody is invited.
Using popplets instead of writing a chat is faster.
One must definitely use three different sessions instead of that one with three breakouts.
If someone isn´t able to come (for really, really good reason) to the session give him/her extra material that can also be visualized in Optima so that others can also find ideas and learn new things.


Of course while you are reading at this post you could also listen to: 
All you need is love (Beatles)

Reflections - Sandra

I spent the last two days making the video on qr codes: the editing was the hard part for me and there are still some mistakes. I will improvemy skills on video editing as soon as I find the right tools.
I also apoligize for my English skills: I am not use to be in front of a camera so I found myself quite nervous.

from Espoo to Oulu

I create this qr code few minutes ago and I am still working on it.

My first experience in these studies and taking ´"a class" was  in Espoo last week.
One thing that it really impressived me about the course was how much technologies could be used for learning. I noticed that until now I haven´t use so much technologies during my teaching (I use mostly games and group/pair work) and I think that some platforms could be used very well in some of my classes. Of course it would be the best if one day I could teach history to a class of youngsters and apply all these technologies for learning purpose. Using these tecnologies suplies were important to me because I could find a way to be in touch with youngsters and get them involve and engage into the learning. As an adult teacher it was also important to me notice that some of most platforms it requires time and a big effors for those who don´t know what facebook is or an i-pad.
The experience in Espoo I liked a t all: I found very important for me sharing experience with other people, discuss with them and try to find solutions together.
I found also very inspring the Monday class: Group dynamics. Most of the activities what we did in the class I tried already with my students. Me stressed the importance of comunication (so important in a group) and also the role of leader. Me as a leader for a group (what kind of leader I am) make me think quite much. Jana, the teacher from Lubjana sent us her PPT. Now they are also available in my Google Drive folder.  If you are intrested to read those please feel free to ask.